The Blackout from Hell
by Clubhouse Treats
Summary: The return of a beloved Halloween tradition at iCarly Elementary leads to the return of an urban legend concerning a chainsaw-wielding monster, and a citywide blackout on the night of the party only makes the legend stronger.
1. The Blackout from Hell Script

_Thank You, Heavenly _

Theme Song: "Let It Roll" by Divide the Day

SEASON 8

EPISODE 4

Airdate: October 20, 2019

"The Blackout from Hell"

Special Guest Stars: Dorien Wilson as Mr. Frax

_Written by frostyfreezyfreeze54 (story/teleplay) and Sykadelix (story) _

_#TYH807_

SCENE 1

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Sam Puckett Auditorium

Seattle, Washington

_One day, the kids of iCarly Elementary are in the packed auditorium. Principal MacGregor, Karen, Ashley, and Sanna are on stage waiting for the kids to quiet down._

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Everybody settle down, please. Thank you. I called this assembly to let everybody here know that the faculty of iCarly Elementary makes good decisions. Decisions that positively affect the student body. And I know that Halloween is right around the corner, so I figured I wouldn't _trick _you and instead give you a nice _treat, _am I right?

_Beat._

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Whatever. On Halloween night, the Monster Mash returns!

_The kids cheer loudly at the announcement. _

SPARKY: The Monster Mash is back?!

BUSTER: This might be better than getting candy this year.

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Thanks to the persistence of senior committee co-presidents Sanna Qureshi and Ashley Rodriguez, we had no choice but to reinstate the biggest Halloween party any school's ever seen. So come one, come all to the scariest night of the year!

_The kids cheer again and chant "MONSTER MASH!" while Ashley and Sanna join in._

SCENE 2

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Hallway

Seattle, Washington

_The kids are leaving the auditorium. _

RK: This is going to be amazing. The Monster Mash is really making a comeback.

SPARKY: I know, right? Halloween went from decent to next level fantastic in just one assembly.

MANNY: Wow, I knew Sanna and Ashley were a little stupid, but this is dumb even for them.

JAYLYNN: What are you going on about, Santos?

MANNY: You guys are over here doing cartwheels about the Monster Mash when you should be pissing your pants. Halloween is the anniversary.

BUSTER: The anniversary of what?

MANNY: Ugh, do I have to teach you guys everything? The Chainsaw Maniac is coming on Halloween. He's going to rise from the dead and kill us all.

RK: Yeah, right. And Jeff Hardy's a good role model.

MANNY: Make jokes all you want, but this is serious. The Chainsaw Maniac comes every ten years to take out victims, because when this school was around 70 years ago, the guy got bullied every day. So he grabbed a chainsaw from the hardware store, slashed all the kids he could find, then he killed himself so he wouldn't have to go to the police.

WADE: But this school was founded in 1954.

MANNY: Shut up. Go ahead, don't believe what I'm saying. It's your funeral.

WADE: I won't need a funeral because nothing you said is true. It's just some urban legend regurgitated from kids that used to go here and wanted to scare everybody.

MANNY: How do you know? Did you go to this school back in 2009?

WADE: No, but...

MANNY: See? You don't know what happened that year. That's the problem with America today. Everybody has an opinion no matter how stupid it is.

SPARKY: Manny, this so-called "Chainsaw Maniac" you say is real...what does he even look like?

MANNY: I mean, he doesn't wear anything fancy. He just has a chainsaw and he's dressed like a fisherman. He has on this all-yellow or all-green suit, and you can't really see his face because his hat is tilted down.

JAYLYNN: This chainsaw guy is a fisherman?

MANNY: No, he's just dressed like one. There's a difference.

RK: Wasn't this an episode of _The Fairly OddParents_?

BUSTER: I think it was a _SpongeBob _episode.

RK: Right, because they went to see that scary movie, and Squidward...

MANNY: Enough! It's obvious you guys don't think we should take the Chainsaw Maniac seriously. So go ahead, have your little Monster Mash. But when that psycho starts piling up bodies, don't say I didn't warn you.

_Beat._

BUSTER: I would listen more to what you have to say if Will was standing next to you.

MANNY: Well, he has a cold, so you're stuck with me.

SCENE 3

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Hallway

Seattle, Washington

_After a few days have passed, the guys, minus Buster, are at their lockers talking. _

SPARKY: You know, I was listening to some old Jonas Brothers records and I finally realized something: Nick used to be a terrible singer.

RK: That's part of the reason I didn't like them. That guy always sounded like a dying animal getting choked out.

JAYLYNN: But I thought you said you liked the new album.

RK: Jaylynn, how come we're about to enter a new decade and your listening hasn't gotten better?

_Buster walks up to the guys._

SPARKY: Hey Buster. What's wrong, buddy? You don't look too good.

BUSTER: It's this whole Chainsaw Maniac thing. It's really starting to freak me out.

JAYLYNN: Oh no, don't tell me you actually believe in Manny's bullshit.

BUSTER: I don't know what to believe anymore. From what I heard, a whole bunch of kids are skipping the Monster Mash because they don't want to get killed.

SPARKY: This is just obscene.

WADE: Buster, trust me, you have nothing to worry about. A guy dressed like a fisherman wielding a chainsaw comes every ten years to kill children, and we're just hearing about it now? That doesn't sound a little off?

BUSTER: Maybe. But I'm keeping my eyes and ears open. According to outside sources, this school was actually built on the grave of the Chainsaw Maniac! That's what originally inspired him to rise from the dead and murder everybody.

JAYLYNN: Was your outside source Manny?

BUSTER: Not my business to say. If you know, you know.

SCENE 3

The MacDougal Household

Exterior Entrance

Seattle, Washington

_On the night of the Monster Mash, Sparky and Buster get inside Sparky's car. _

SPARKY: So, this is it. Halloween night. The Monster Mash. The big time.

BUSTER: Yeah. Should be crazy.

SPARKY: Are you still thinking about the Chainsaw Maniac?

BUSTER: There's a reason I keep seeing evil fishermen in my dreams, Sparky.

SPARKY: Buster, I don't get it. When Manny first said everything about that guy, you didn't believe him. Now, you're actually buying what he's selling?

BUSTER: It's just that...Halloween is the weirdest day of the year. Anything can happen. I've killed people on Halloween, I've fought ghosts on Halloween. Who's to say this Chainsaw Maniac isn't going to come and chop our guts up into bite-sized pieces?

SPARKY: I forgot about all that. I couldn't imagine thinking about that every year.

BUSTER: Well, I do. And being around you guys is the only thing that calms me down on Halloween. But what if something happens to you or the others? I'll have nothing.

SPARKY: Buster, it's okay. Just because you've been through some crazy things on Halloween in the past, doesn't mean you're going to get hurt tonight. Not as long as I'm here.

BUSTER: You mean that?

SPARKY: Of course. I would never let anything happen to you. Tonight's the Monster Mash, let's forget about that fisherman crap and just have fun.

BUSTER: You're right, Sparky. I need to get excited, it's the Monster Mash!

SPARKY: That's what I'm saying, it's a big night.

BUSTER: A huge night. Wait, I just have one question.

SPARKY: What is it?

BUSTER: Why the hell does one of your neighbors have their Christmas lights up?

SPARKY: Believe me, I was upset about it too. I was thinking about starting a petition, but I don't really want to take it there.

SCENE 4

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Freddie Benson Gymnasium

Seattle, Washington

_("bad guy __(Remix)" by Billie Eilish featuring Justin Bieber plays over the loudspeakers)_

_During the Monster Mash, kids are dancing to music, bobbing for apples, taking candy from the snack table, and entering the "Guess How Many Candy Corn Are in the Jar?" contest. Some kids are also in costume, and the gym has been slightly modified to resemble a haunted house. Sparky and Buster walk in to meet up with RK and Jaylynn by the snack table._

SPARKY: Wow, I don't even recognize our gym.

BUSTER: I know. Ashley and Sanna really did all this?

JAYLYNN: Pretty much. They wanted the Monster Mash to be special this year since it's the comeback.

RK: And they brought back all the attractions. I know we didn't vote for them to be president, but they're whooping ass tonight.

_Wade walks up to the guys in disappointment. _

WADE: I can't believe this. Ashley and Sanna actually banned me from the candy corn contest.

SPARKY: What? Why?

WADE: They said it would be too much of a slaughter if they allowed me to enter. Just because I have a very specific method in guessing every single candy corn piece with precise accuracy, doesn't mean nobody else has a shot.

RK: Do you want me to talk to them? If I don't like what they have to say, I can have them arrested by the end of the night.

WADE: No, it's okay. The prize is the candy corn itself. They had to cut corners somewhere.

JAYLYNN: Well, it's whatever. When you're too good, they always try to tell you what you can and can't do.

SPARKY: Exactly. It's like...

MANNY: Well, well, well, look who decided to show up.

RK: And you also decided to show up. Is this conversation going to benefit everybody involved?

SPARKY: Yeah, considering what you've been saying lately, I thought you might have wanted to stay home.

MANNY: And miss the first Monster Mash in years? I don't think so. Besides, if the Chainsaw Maniac comes, I want to lead certain people to safety. Starting with you, Jaylynn.

_Manny winks at Jaylynn and then growls at her._

JAYLYNN: It's times like this I wish I still carried my pocket knife.

_The boys all stare at Jaylynn._

JAYLYNN: What? Where I come from, if somebody tried you, you had to be ready for it.

MANNY: I'll see you guys around. Keep your eye out for anything weird, like a fisherman's hat or one of those things that goes, "VRINN, VRINN, VRINN!"

_Beat._

MANNY: Those are chainsaw sounds. Wow, you guys are stupid.

_Manny walks away from the guys._

WADE: He really makes it hard for me to respect him intellectually.

SCENE 5

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Freddie Benson Gymnasium

Seattle, Washington

_("Sucker" by the Jonas Brothers plays over the gym"s loudspeakers) _

_Later on, most of the kids are dancing to "Sucker," including Sparky and Halley. Meanwhile, Manny is talking to Ashley and Sanna._

MANNY: So, I was just thinking, you guys did an amazing job with this party. I'm blessed to have you two represent the fifth grade, honestly.

_Beat._

SANNA: You can't take the candy corn. It's for everybody.

MANNY: That's lowkey racist. You can't assume young Hispanic kids like me are up to something.

ASHLEY: But I'm also a young Hispanic kid.

MANNY: And you're selling out your own people. Roberto Clemente didn't die for this shit, Ashley.

_Cut to Buster and RK at the snack table._

BUSTER: You know, you haven't danced to any songs yet. Are you worried people are going to know your toes are dirty?

RK: Wait, what? My toes aren't dirty.

BUSTER: I don't know what to think after last time. I'll never forget what I saw.

RK: Then maybe what I do tonight is going to make you forget. I told Ashley and Sanna that they have to play "Dancing Machine" by the Jackson 5, because when they do, I'm going to bust out the most intricate dance routine this school has ever seen.

BUSTER: Wait, seriously? D-does that mean...

RK: Yes, you're going to see the robot in all its glory.

BUSTER: That's awesome! How are you going to pull off your routine?

RK: Well, I'll start out small, and then when the song hits its climax, I'm going to kick it into overdrive with some well-placed strobe lights and a whole lot of luck. I need to get some things from my locker, they're going to play the song soon.

BUSTER: Can I come with? I want to see these things for myself.

RK: Sure. It's always great to see you get excited for my activities, no matter how weird or stupid they are.

BUSTER: Why wouldn't I?

RK: Beautiful. Beautiful stuff. Let's go.

_RK and Buster leave the gymnasium to go to RK's locker, and the camera cuts to a bird's eye view of the kids dancing to "Sucker," then a shot of the Seattle skyline. However, the lights suddenly cut off from every building in the city. Cut back to the gym, where the kids begin screaming, throwing things, running around, and panicking from being in complete darkness. _

MANNY: THE MANIAC'S HERE!

ASHLEY: Will you shut up?! Guys, relax, everything is fine, we just need...

_Ashley gets knocked to the floor by a random boy. Sanna confronts the boy._

SANNA: Hey, watch where you're going!

BOY: Get that chainsaw away from me!

_The boy pushes Sanna down to the floor and runs out of the gymnasium. He runs past Buster and RK, who are completely motionless by RK's locker. _

BUSTER: Where's he going? Somebody's going to shank him outside.

SCENE 6

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Sam Puckett Auditorium

Seattle, Washington

_Later on, all the kids who attended the Monster Mash are sequestered in the auditorium. Principal MacGregor, Karen, and Mr. Frax are busy trying to get a generator started up._

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Great thinking bringing this generator out, Frax.

MR. FRAX: Don't mention it. I've never seen the kids so worked up before.

KAREN: It makes perfect sense. A blackout on Halloween night? Who could have predicted it?

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: It actually reminds me of an experience I had with a blackout back in the day. I remember, it was the late eighties and I was in New York on a business trip. Good times.

MR. FRAX: You have fond memories of experiencing a blackout in New York City at the height of the crack epidemic?

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: I always try to make the best of a bad situation.

_At that point, the generator starts up and power is spread throughout the entire auditorium. The kids clap and cheer. _

MR. FRAX: There we go. Hopefully, we'll be safe for the night.

_Cut to Sanna and Ashley in their seats._

SANNA: This is bullshit. I feel like crying right now.

ASHLEY: Sanna, we didn't do anything wrong. This was just a freak accident.

SANNA: I don't care. We spent weeks begging MacGregor to bring back the Monster Mash. We put in all that work after school decorating the gym, getting the food, planning the schedule. Now, it's all taken away from us.

ASHLEY: Well, you know what they say. When one door closes, another one opens.

SANNA: What does that even mean?

ASHLEY: I don't know. Most of those old sayings are just people talking.

_Cut to Sparky, Wade, Jaylynn, Manny, and Halley in their seats._

WADE: This is perfect, isn't it? First Monster Mash in an eternity and Seattle gets its first blackout in an eternity. Really historic stuff.

MANNY: Now, you guys see what's going on here? We bring back the Monster Mash, on Halloween, ten years to the day, and the lights go out. It's a sign.

JAYLYNN: A sign that you're a true f***ing moron?

MANNY: No, honey, it's a sign that the Chainsaw Maniac is coming to claw everybody's guts out. You guys hear me now? It's only a matter of time.

_At that point, some of the kids start murmuring amongst themselves. _

HALLEY: Do you not realize you're scaring everybody here? Come on, man, this isn't a joke.

SPARKY: Halley's right. There's no Chainsaw Maniac, you're just being an annoying troll.

MANNY: I respect you for standing by your girl, Sparky. I wish I could do the same.

_Beat._

SPARKY: What?

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Could I have everybody's attention, please? Thank you, it's okay. We're all safe. Now, I know everybody here was enjoying the Monster Mash, but unfortunately, Seattle was hit with the worst blackout in more than twenty years. Right now, the whole city is without power.

MANNY: We already know why! It's the Chainsaw Maniac!

SPARKY, WADE, JAYLYNN, HALLEY: SHUT UP!

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Whatever you kids have heard about this school or Halloween are all myths. Now, we need to ensure the safety of every child here at iCarly Elementary, so until further notice, everybody has to stay inside this auditorium.

_The kids boo loudly._

MR. FRAX: Everybody, calm down. Please, we have no choice.

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: This is a matter of making sure no one gets hurt. We're going to be here all night to keep watch. If one of you needs to go to the bathroom or a vending machine, talk to me, or Karen, or Mr. Frax and we will happily escort you. We'll be following the news to see if we get any updates.

KAREN: Does anybody have any questions?

_Ashley raises her hand._

KAREN: Yes...Ashley Rodriguez?

ASHLEY: Yeah, just Ashley. Are we going to be sleeping here tonight?

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: If the blackout extends past the overnight hours, then yes, we will have no choice but to keep you guys here until tomorrow morning.

_The kids begin booing and murmuring again._

MR. FRAX: We're still talking here, thank you.

SPARKY: Hey, how come Buster and RK haven't made it back yet?

SCENE 7

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Hallway

Seattle, Washington

_At the same time as the events in the auditorium, Buster puts in a dollar at the vending machine and gets a Snickers bar. He begins eating it while RK is disappointed. _

BUSTER: You sure you don't want any candy?

RK: No, I'm cool. I'm just frustrated, man. I had it all planned out. My dance routine was going to steal the show tonight and now, it's all ruined.

BUSTER: You can always dance on Thanksgiving.

RK: Yeah, like that's the same thing. I was supposed to make Monster Mash history tonight.

BUSTER: Don't worry, RK, it's not your fault. It's the Chainsaw Maniac. He's out there and he's coming for this school.

RK: Come on, man, for real? You really think some decrepit weirdo with a chainsaw and a fisherman's suit comes every ten years to do stuff like this?

BUSTER: There are volcanoes that don't erupt for years and solar eclipses that don't eclipse for years. How do you explain that?

RK: Science?

BUSTER: That's true. But this blackout isn't a coincidence. We need to go to the auditorium so we can stay safe.

RK: Or...

BUSTER: Or, what? There's no "or" in this situation, man, we're gonna die!

RK: Or we could turn chicken shit into chicken salad. We could explore the school and have the adventure here we always dreamed about!

BUSTER: Are you sipping lean, Jennings? We can't wander around this place like some idiots when a maniac's on the loose. That just gives him more opportunities to get us.

RK: Dude, if we stay in the auditorium, and this maniac is real, it's easy pickings for him. This way, we throw him off the scent because he'll have no idea where we are at any given time.

BUSTER: That's genius. But I don't know. Sparky, Wade, and Jaylynn might be worried sick about us.

RK: Well, it's just a blackout. Doesn't mean our phones don't work. Call them.

_Cut to the auditorium, where Sparky gets a phone call. He picks it up._

SPARKY: Buster, where are you and RK? The adults are going to start looking for you.

_Cut back to Buster._

BUSTER: Don't worry, we're okay. We're actually going to explore the school.

_Cut back to Sparky._

SPARKY: What? You guys need to come to the auditorium before you get in trouble.

_Cut back to Buster. RK steps in._

RK: Allow me.

_RK takes the phone from Buster._

RK: Yeah, Sparko? We can't sit in that auditorium, it's probably boring as hell. Why don't you, Wade, and Jaylynn come with us? We'll make a night of it. _Beat. _Alright, tell you what. Buster and I will do our thing, but if you start to get worried, you can always come looking for us. Cool. Talk to you later.

_RK hangs up._

RK: And that takes care of that. Let's make this blackout mean something.

SCENE 8

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Sam Puckett Auditorium

Seattle, Washington

_The kids are on their phones or talking to each other as Principal MacGregor, Karen, and Mr. Frax sit on the stage._

JAYLYNN: Sparky, I don't think you should have let them go. There's no power anywhere, what if they get hurt?

SPARKY: Jaylynn, I'm not their dad. If Buster and RK want to have some kind of magical blackout journey, I can't stop them. Besides, we can always go looking for them if they don't come back soon enough.

WADE: I think they'll be okay. RK will probably look inside a few classrooms, maybe the janitor's closet, tell Buster his idea sucked, and force him to come back.

MANNY: Yeah, that will happen. Unless the Chainsaw Maniac gets to them first.

JAYLYNN: I swear, I'm gonna strangle this kid.

SPARKY: Do you mind? We're having a private conversation here.

MANNY: Not at all. I just think Buster and RK would have a better chance of surviving if they were here. Who knows what's happening to them outside?

WADE: Manny, for the last time, there's no Chainsaw Maniac. But now, thanks to you, half the kids here believe in something that never was.

MANNY: I don't know why you doubt me so much. This is like a horror movie starring our school. And if your boys aren't careful, they're going to get their shit pushed in.

SPARKY: Alright, that's it! I've had enough of you spreading your lies and making everybody scared out of their minds. Buster didn't even want to come here until I talked to him, and the worst part is, you're just doing this to piss everybody off.

MANNY: I'm trying to protect people. We're all gonna die some day. Might as well know when and how.

HALLEY: What do you want, Manny, huh? You want proof that the Chainsaw Maniac isn't real? Is that it?

MANNY: I would be cool with that if you can do it.

SPARKY: Then it's getting done. I'm outta here.

HALLEY: Sparky, I was just talking. You can't go out there.

SPARKY: Yeah, I can. I'm tired of Manny's lies. If I can stay outside of this auditorium for at least one hour, then you, Manny, have to admit that there's no Chainsaw Maniac.

MANNY: Alright, it's a deal. But be careful, Sparky. You can't leave Halley without a boyfriend.

SPARKY: Nothing's going to happen to me.

WADE: And I'm making sure of it.

JAYLYNN: Me too.

SPARKY: I appreciate the support, guys, but you can't both come with me. It will be too suspicious.

JAYLYNN: You're right. I'll be the lookout and let you know what's going on.

SPARKY: Great. Come on, Wade, let's go play _MythBusters._

_The instrumental version of "Let It Roll" briefly plays in the background as Sparky and Wade look around, and begin to slowly make their way out of the auditorium._

SCENE 9

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Hallway

Seattle, Washington

_Sparky and Wade walk through the halls and pass by various classrooms while trying to maintain their balance due to the lack of lights. _

WADE: So, what exactly are we looking for?

SPARKY: Nothing. We just need to prove to Manny that there's no Chainsaw Maniac. We walk around, nothing happens to us, and he looks like an idiot.

WADE: But what if he tries telling us we didn't prove anything?

SPARKY: Well, we just use his logic against him. Now, we're kids, right? And the Chainsaw Maniac comes every ten years to kill kids.

WADE: Presumably.

SPARKY: Right. And we're here walking through the school with no protection, nobody watching us, no weapons, nothing. Why wouldn't the Chainsaw Maniac come after us? Unless he doesn't exist.

WADE: Makes perfect sense. I guess we have an hour to kill. Might as well see what's...

_Sparky and Wade hear rain outside. _

SPARKY: Something doesn't sound good.

_Sparky and Wade run to a nearby window and see the beginnings of a storm outside. _

WADE: You know, even if we're allowed to go home, I might sleep here regardless.

SCENE 10

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Lunchroom

Seattle, Washington

_Buster and RK walk into the cafeteria and stand in place as they look at all the empty tables. _

BUSTER: This is so creepy.

RK: This is our reality, Buster. This is our school after hours. What a crazy thing to take in. But there's more.

_RK walks towards the cafeteria's kitchen._

BUSTER: More? What's more? RK, this is how unsuspecting kids die!

_Buster follows RK to the kitchen door. RK takes a set of keys left near the kitchen._

RK: Check it out.

BUSTER: Why would they leave the keys here?

RK: Because stupid people work at this school. But their loss is our gain.

_RK unlocks the kitchen door and it opens. Him and Buster walk inside and go behind the food preparation area where the cafeteria workers stay._

RK: It's like a whole new world back here. Hey Buster, what would you like? Soup or salad?

BUSTER: Can I have both?

RK: No. There has to be enough for everyone. Alright, I'm already bored. Let's see where they keep the tomato sauce.

SCENE 11

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Sam Puckett Auditorium

Seattle, Washington

JAYLYNN: So how's it going over there? _Beat._ Lynne thought she was going blind? Yeah, sure, idiots think what idiots think. _Beat._ Lynne, I don't care if you almost hurt yourself, I'm talking to your sister. Uh huh. _Beat. _Are you done? No, are you...are you done? _Beat._ Okay, then I'm done. Happy Halloween, bitch.

_Jaylynn hangs up and sighs._

MANNY: Anja was busy?

JAYLYNN: No, as usual, her stupid sister was antagonizing me. And how do you even know Anja?

MANNY: I've heard you talk about her before. Didn't you used to have it bad for her or some shit?

JAYLYNN: Yeah, quick word of advice: Don't hear me talk about things.

MANNY: I could hear you talk about things all day.

JAYLYNN: You're lucky there are witnesses or I would have knocked you out a long time ago.

MANNY: It's funny how you've never liked me since the day you came to this school, and all I ever did was tell you how beautiful you are.

JAYLYNN: There are many reasons I never liked you, beyond the obvious like you being greasy and not being able to read the room.

MANNY: Please, I can read the room.

JAYLYNN: No, you can't. Thanks to you, some kids didn't even show up, half my friends are trying to prove you wrong and the other half doesn't even want to be here. That's what you do, Manny. You make people sick when they have to be around you.

MANNY: You know, just because I'm Puerto Rican and you're Dominican, doesn't mean there has to be some kind of divide.

JAYLYNN: With what you've said about Dominicans in the past, you contributed to the divide.

_Manny's eyes dart back and forth, and he tugs at his collar._

MANNY: We don't have to talk about that.

JAYLYNN: Like hell, we don't have to talk about that!

SCENE 12

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Lunchroom Basement

Seattle, Washington

_Buster and RK carefully walk down the steps leading to the cafeteria's basement, which contains inventory of several different foods._

RK: Why does it smell like old peanut butter that used to be frozen?

BUSTER: Well, it's the basement. Who knows what's down here? Must be all types of rats and roaches crawling around here inspecting the food for us.

RK: Really? I mean, it's still a public school. I'm thinking they would keep things pristine.

BUSTER: You think so?

RK: I don't know, these people are capable of anything.

BUSTER: I can't believe they've never served us any of this stuff. Coconut water, orange juice, canned pineapples, Cheerios.

RK: I'm pretty sure they serve orange juice and Cheerios at breakfast.

BUSTER: RK, nobody comes here for breakfast. Kids just say that to sound cool.

RK: Wait one damn minute.

_RK lifts up a box of navy beans and sets it down on the floor._

RK: "Best by 11/22/72." They've been giving us dusty, dried up navy beans from the 70s?!

BUSTER: I don't know. Can't navy beans survive a nuclear explosion? It doesn't matter when you eat them.

RK: Buster, my friend, let me put this in a historical perspective. Three years before these beans expired, the Jets won the Super Bowl. Does that mean anything to you?

BUSTER: Yeah. It means the Jets are a shitty team and nobody likes them.

_Beat._

RK: Okay, you somewhat understand where I'm going with this.

SCENE 13

_("Nighttime Vultures" by Mobb Deep featuring Raekwon plays in the background) _

_The montage follows the boys in various locations of the school. Sparky and Wade are trying to disprove the existence of the Chainsaw Maniac, while Buster and RK are continuing their journey through the school. They go to the teacher's lounge, the boiler room, and the previously unknown small-time boutique full of department store clothes, which openly confuses them. At one point, Sparky gets scared when he believes he sees the silhouette of the Maniac on the wall, but Wade assures him that it is just a tree being blown by the wind. Buster and RK go up to the roof of the school, but are immediately forced to go back inside because of the rain, and return to where they started: The cafeteria._

SCENE 14

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Sam Puckett Auditorium

Seattle, Washington

_Jaylynn is on her phone when Manny walks up to her._

MANNY: You know, I wasn't expecting you to put me on the spot like that.

JAYLYNN: Is that why you went to sit with Ashley and Sanna like we weren't talking?

MANNY: Probably, but that might just be you trying to analyze it too much. Look, about what I said...

JAYLYNN: There's no excuse for what you said. You were a racist piece of shit then, and you're probably a racist piece of shit now.

MANNY: Hey, I stopped saying those things after you came here. If the Dominicans could make something as great as you, how bad could they really be?

JAYLYNN: Beautiful.

MANNY: You know, I was never really racist. It came from my dad. He hated Dominican people his whole life. When they won the World Baseball Classic a couple years ago, he couldn't see out of his right eye for two weeks.

JAYLYNN: That sounds unrelated.

MANNY: You would think that, but the doctors said his vision test was excellent. Look, Jaylynn, I can't take back what I said, but I know I'll never say anything like that again.

JAYLYNN: How?

MANNY: Because I've learned. I don't have to repeat my dad's mistakes because I know he was wrong. And since I'm around Dominican people, it doesn't make sense to be racist.

JAYLYNN: Okay. I guess you're telling the truth. But if I ever hear you fix your mouth to say sosomething else about my people, I'll make sure you can't see out of either of your eyes.

MANNY: Sounds like a deal. So now that we got that out of the way, maybe the two of us could...

JAYLYNN: I'm still lesbian.

MANNY: Great, because I kinda thought this was leading to something.

SCENE 15

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Hallway

Seattle, Washington

_Sparky tries to make a call, but nothing's going through._

WADE: Are you calling Buster and RK again?

SPARKY: Yeah, and neither of them are picking up. I'm worried, Wade, what if something happened to them?

WADE: What? You think the Chainsaw Maniac got to them?

SPARKY: No, but something else might have. For all we know, they could have fallen down something and had their heads busted open.

HALLEY _(O.S.)_: Well, we could always look for them.

_Sparky and Wade scream when they hear Halley's voice, which makes her scream._

SPARKY: Halley, what are you doing here?!

HALLEY: I wanted to make sure you guys were safe, so I was following you.

SPARKY: Awww, you're so sweet looking out for us.

WADE: Wait a minute. How did you follow us? We've been up and down the school for about a half hour.

HALLEY: I've been around. I left the auditorium a while ago and stayed far behind you whenever you went somewhere. I just needed to know you two weren't hurt.

SPARKY: We're fine, but we don't know about Buster and RK. We haven't heard from them in a while.

HALLEY: Well, let's form a search party.

SPARKY: Good idea. You guys can cover one end of the school, and I'll cover the other one. Nobody eats until Buster and RK are found.

WADE: Wait, really?

SPARKY: Alright, that might be a little overboard, but...but, still, we gotta find them.

SCENE 16

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Lunchroom Kitchen

Seattle, Washington

_Buster and RK are staring at the large trash chute in the kitchen of the cafeteria. _

RK: How much garbage do you think goes in there per day?

BUSTER: I don't know. Maybe 300 tons?

RK: I wish Wade was here so he could verify that.

BUSTER: Speaking of Wade, don't you think we should go to the auditorium now? We've been exploring for a long time.

RK: Yeah, you're right. I forgot all about the guys, they probably have an APB out on us. Let's just do one more thing before we go back.

BUSTER: What?

_RK motions his head towards the trash chute._

BUSTER: We can't go down there! Who knows what it leads to? We could be sitting ducks for the Chainsaw Maniac!

RK: Yeah, like the Chainsaw Maniac is just waiting at the end of the trash chute for small children to snatch. It's simple. I just climb inside like so...

_RK crawls inside the trash chute._

RK: ...and then I slide down thusly.

_RK slides down the trash chute and yells, worrying Buster._

BUSTER: Don't worry, RK, I'm coming!

_Buster quickly climbs inside the trash chute and slides down. Cut to the dumpster outside the school, where Buster and RK end up landing among a bunch of cold, wet garbage bags. They immediately scream and fumble around trying to escape the dumpster._

BUSTER: Watch my elbow!

RK: Shit, we're going to need a two-year shower after this one.

_The two climb out of the dumpster and fall to the ground while catching their breath._

BUSTER: Well, now we know we can fit down the trash chute. Is that what you wanted to find out?

RK: Hey, things seem a lot cooler when you're watching them from a distance. Shit, we're getting wet!

_Buster and RK get up and dust themselves off, but the rain continues coming down._

BUSTER: How are we going to explain this? We smell like we've been swimming in rat piss.

RK: It's okay. It's okay. We simply go back inside, wash up a little in the bathroom, and we'll be fine.

_Buster and RK run to the entrance of the school and try to get in, but they are unable to._

RK: Are you kidding me? This door locks from the outside?

BUSTER: I knew we should have started working out this summer.

RK: And all the windows are closed too.

BUSTER: Try the back door.

RK: A-ha, the back door!

_Buster and RK run to the back door of the school right near the dumpster, but it is also locked._

RK: Are there hidden cameras around or something?

BUSTER: I can't believe this. We're stuck here.

_Beat._

BUSTER: If the Chainsaw Maniac tries turning us into _sashimi_, I'm blaming you.

_RK gives Buster an annoyed look._

SCENE 17

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Sam Puckett Auditorium

Seattle, Washington

MANNY: Hey Jaylynn, you know what you should do the next time you see Anja's sister?

JAYLYNN: What?

MANNY: You should smack her. Just swipe the face as hard as you can.

JAYLYNN: I know, right? Give her the old combination?

MANNY: Exactly.

_Jaylynn and Manny begin laughing. Cut to Sanna and Ashley._

ASHLEY: Is Jaylynn really laughing about something with Manny?

SANNA: This is the weirdest Halloween I've ever had.

_Cut to Principal MacGregor, Karen, and Mr. Frax._

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Guys, I'm starting to wonder. Have you seen Sparky, Buster, RK, Wade, and/or Halley recently?

MR. FRAX: I saw all of them at the party, but...are they even here?

KAREN: I don't see those kids anywhere, sir.

MR. FRAX: Wait a minute, Jaylynn would know. Jaylynn?

_Jaylynn's eyes widen when she hears her name called. She gets out of her seat and walks down to the stage._

JAYLYNN: You wanted to see me, sir?

MR. FRAX: Yeah, would you have any idea where Sparky, Buster, RK, Wade, and Halley are?

JAYLYNN: I think the last time I saw them, they were all going to the bathroom as a group.

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Without our supervision?

JAYLYNN: Hey, they're big kids, they can handle it. No need to go look for them or whatever.

KAREN: Sir, they might be in serious trouble.

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: You're right. We need to bring all five of them back. Frax, could you hold down the fort while Karen and I look for the kids?

MR. FRAX: No problem.

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Alright, let's get a move on.

_Principal MacGregor and Karen leave the auditorium to go look for the guys. Meanwhile, Jaylynn pulls out her phone and begins texting._

SCENE 18

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Lunchroom

Seattle, Washington

_Wade and Halley look around for Buster and RK, but they are nowhere to be found._

WADE: You know, RK always wanted to explore the cafeteria. I figured he and Buster would be here.

HALLEY: This is ridiculous. They could be anywhere right now and we'll miss them because of how dark it is.

WADE: I know. Hopefully, this blackout doesn't last long.

HALLEY: It depends. I remember when Hurricane Sandy hit New York, a lot of people I knew went without power for days. For some, it took them almost a month.

WADE: Wasn't New Jersey hit harder than that?

HALLEY: Yeah, but I'm just talking about the people I knew that were hit.

WADE: Right.

_Wade pulls out his phone, and Halley quickly follows._

WADE: Did you get a text from Jaylynn?

HALLEY: Yeah, about MacGregor and his assistant looking for us?!

WADE: We have to make ourselves scarce. We can't go back without finding Buster and RK.

HALLEY: Let's hide in the kitchen. It's unlocked, and they'll nevet suspect us there.

WADE: Good call.

_Wade and Halley run inside the kitchen._

SCENE 19

_("Somebody's Gotta Die" by The Notorious B.I.G. plays in the background) _

_Sparky is walking through the halls when he hears footsteps. He runs into the boys bathroom and takes refuge inside a stall. Outside the bathroom, Principal MacGregor and Karen are looking around for the kids. However, they are unsuccessful in locating them. Sparky soon walks out of the bathroom and breathes a sigh of relief, then snaps his fingers._

SPARKY: The flashlight! I can use my flashlight to help find the guys!

_Sparky runs out of the school. Meanwhile, Buster and RK are taking cover near the dumpster so they can be shielded from the rain._

BUSTER: I'm so glad I didn't wear a costume tonight.

RK: Hey, did you just hear a door open?

BUSTER: I don't think so. It was probably nothing.

RK: No, it was like the door to the school just opened. I think somebody's looking for us!

BUSTER: But we can't even get any reception on our phones. How do they know where we are?

RK: It's probably one of the guys. Maybe if we stand near the entrance, they'll see us and bring us inside.

_Sparky puts a yellow raincoat on from the trunk, and tries looking for a flashlight, but can't find it. He puts on a bucket hat for extra protection, and gets out an umbrella, but it's wobbly. At the same time, he closes the trunk, and walks slowly because of the heavy rain and his obstructed view. Buster and RK stand near the school and see Sparky creeping towards them._

RK: Buster...who the hell is that?

BUSTER: I don't know. Wait, you don't think that's...

RK: The Chainsaw Maniac? And that bastard Manny was right the whole time?!

BUSTER: I knew it. He has the fisherman's suit, the hat pulled low. It all adds up.

_At that point, Sparky's umbrella breaks, leaving only the handle in his grasp. _

RK: Where's his chainsaw?

BUSTER: He has to set that up. The hook is his opening move, we have to get outta here!

_Buster frantically tries to open the door, but he is still unable to and his wet hands prevent him from getting a firm grip._

BUSTER: RK, you wanna help me with this thing?!

RK: No.

BUSTER: No?! What do you mean, no?! We're about to get f***ing killed!

RK: No, we're not. If that Chainsaw Maniac wants a fight, we'll give him the fight of his life...together.

_Beat._

BUSTER: You're a crazy man, Jennings. Let's do it!

_"Somebody's Gotta Die" continues playing as Buster and RK charge at Sparky, who they believe to be the Chainsaw Maniac. Because of the compromised vision of all three boys, the fight is aggressive as Sparky has no idea who he's fighting and Buster and RK can't see Sparky's face under the hat and coat. Buster gets tossed to the ground and RK trips Sparky, raining punches down on him until he hears a familiar scream. He pauses momentarily, and Sparky kicks RK in the groin, then goes on the offensive while Buster tries to defend RK. Principal MacGregor, Karen, and some other kids rush outside to break up the fight._

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: What the hell is going on here?! Break it up!

_MacGregor pulls the boys away from each other._

SPARKY: They attacked me!

BUSTER: We thought...wait, Sparky?!

SPARKY: Buster?!

RK: It really was Sparks!

SPARKY: RK?!

BUSTER: You're dressed like the Chainsaw Maniac?!

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Why are you boys out here fighting and not in the auditorium as you were instructed?!

RK: Why are our navy beans older than the Nixon administration?!

_Beat._

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: You know what? You don't say anything about that, and we won't say anything about this.

SCENE 20

iCarly Elementary School

Interior Sam Puckett Auditorium

Seattle, Washington

_The kids are all seated in the auditorium, but Buster and RK are separated from the others because of their smell._

JAYLYNN: Ugh, you two smell like shit. No, that's too nice. Actual shit would smell you two and be like, "Damn, that's foul."

RK: We fall in some garbage, get a little wet, and it's like we have swine flu.

BUSTER: I know, right?

SPARKY: I still can't believe you guys thought I was the Chainsaw Maniac.

BUSTER: We didn't know what to do. We had to go down swinging.

RK: Yeah, but you were hardcore out there. Never in my life did I think you would kick me in the nuts.

SPARKY: You know I would have never done that if I knew who you were.

RK: Still, there was so much hatred in that kick. Remind me never to try you in a street fight.

_Cut to another shot of the Seattle skyline. At that point, the lights are restored to every building in the city and the power is brought back to the school, officially bringing an end to the blackout. Mr. Frax witnesses the power being restored to the hallway as he stands near the auditorium exit. _

MR. FRAX: MacGregor, we're back online!

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: WHAT?!

MR. FRAX: The power's back!

PRINCIPAL MACGREGOR: Okay, fantastic! I didn't get your coded language! Alright, kids, it looks like the blackout has officially ceased. Everybody is free to return to the Monster Mash or go home.

_All the kids cheer, and many of them leave the auditorium as quickly as possible. _

BUSTER: Hey RK, you have a second chance to show off your dance moves.

RK: Nah, the moment's passed. Besides, I can't pay tribute to Michael Jackson smelling like the swamp monster.

SPARKY: Let's put it to a vote. Who wants to go back to the Monster Mash? Raise your hands.

_Buster, RK, Wade, Jaylynn, Manny, and Halley all remain motionless. _

SPARKY: Yeah, I'm kinda tired myself. You guys want to go buy candy at Walgreens?

SCENE 21

Walgreens

Exterior Entrance

Seattle, Washington

_The kids walk out of Walgreens carrying bags full of candy._

SPARKY: Well, looks like we were able to save what's left of Halloween.

WADE: And thanks to Buster and RK's odor, we were able to get through the line in a snap.

BUSTER: We're kids, not dirty street hobos!

MANNY: It looks like you guys were right. There really was no Chainsaw Maniac. Guess I freaked everybody out for nothing.

JAYLYNN: You did, but at least you're ashamed of yourself.

SPARKY: Yup. It looks like we're good for another ten years until the next stupid rumor comes up.

SCENE 22

Bear Lake

Seattle, Washington

_("Thought Contagion" by Muse plays in the background)_

_Miles away from Walgreens, around the same time as the kids' candy run, the lake water suddenly turns green and acidic. A strange figure begins to emerge from the water, revealing itself to be the actual Chainsaw Maniac. Wearing a fisherman's outfit with the hat blocking his face, scars all over his arms, and a hook for his right hand, the Maniac revs up his chainsaw with his left hand and begins to make his way towards the surface. However, when he steps onto the wood structure connecting the land to the water, he slips on a pebble, cracks his skull open on the wood, and falls into the water, presumably drowning and leaving behind a pool of blood. Cut to black. _

_("Thought Contagion" continues playing through the end credits)_

©2019 ANDERSON PRODUCTIONS

HAPPY HALLOWEEN


	2. The Blackout from Hell Backstage Pass

_PRODUCTION/CULTURAL REFERENCES (written 11/3/19)_

-Back in April, I had a conversation with Sykadelix, a longtime fan of the show and someone who helped out with two episodes in season seven ("Grandpa's Hands" and "20 Years Later"). She gave me the inspiration for the subplot in "Grandpa's Hands," and actually contributed several story ideas for "20 Years Later." During the conversation, she ended up pitching an episode about a blackout in Seattle. It was inspired by experiences she had in school where rolling blackouts occurred, and kids would do things like fall down, crack jokes, and make noise.

-There were rumors in Sykadelix's school that a cult was haunting it, which was causing the blackouts. A few kids tried to convince everyone that it was a myth, but they weren't being listened to. This ended up creating the episode months before anything was written. I got really excited about it and I spent some time trading ideas with Sykadelix.

-At the time, I was in the early stages of putting together the first half of season eight, but there were many things I was considering. One problem I ran into was the Halloween episodes, which are usually the first ones I have penciled in every season. After "Thank You, Heavenly's Relapse" last season, I was worried that I was short on good Halloween ideas. While I'm glad I committed to the episode and finished it, I used a lot of stories that could have easily been their own episodes. It left me wondering what ideas I could use for this season. I had some that I was considering at the time, but none of them ended up becoming actual episodes (one of them did turn into the subplot for "Toys Have All the Fun"). Sykadelix's episode was the first one that seemed like it could make a good Halloween episode.

-There was some hesitation over "The Blackout from Hell" becoming a Halloween episode. Sykadelix didn't want it to be a rehash of "Stories Killed the Radio Stars" in season two, which dealt with similar subject matter. However, I convinced her there was enough of a difference between both episodes that would allow us to go through with our plans. My inspiration for "Stories Killed the Radio Stars" was Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel _The War of the Worlds _(1898). Sykadelix's idea was based on things that actually happened to her, so we didn't have to worry about repeating episodes.

-Ironically, despite this episode being different from "Stories Killed the Radio Stars," the Monster Mash makes its return here. It was put in the episode because I was wondering how the blackout would work if it took place during the day, since the kids would just be sent home. Sykadelix suggested that the kids could be at the Monster Mash when the blackout occurs, which would force them to stay in school.

-At one point, I was considering putting the episode off and writing it at a later point in this season, but I decided it would make the most sense as a Halloween episode. I still wanted to do my annual tradition of two Halloween episodes (one canon and one non-canon), so "The Blackout from Hell" ended up being an additional third one. This is the first season to have three Halloween episodes. Back in season three, I had plans to write three Halloween shows. One of them was even going to be co-written with a pen pal. However, after finishing "The Life and Times of Diana Katanova," I realized it would end up overshadowing the other two episodes so I abandoned my plans. I lost contact with the pen pal, and one of the other episodes I didn't write turned into last season's "The Secret World of Buster Newman."

-Because of all the problems I had in the beginning with season eight, I ended up writing this episode much later than I had planned. However, the development of this episode lasted several months, so when it was time to write, I didn't encounter any problems at all. Once Sykadelix and I were done trading ideas, I decided that we would both write separate outlines for the episode, and then I would combine them to write the final outline. This is what I would use when writing the script. She submitted hers first, but I didn't look at it until I was finished with mine. Our outlines ended up being really similar so it wasn't hard to combine them.

-Sykadelix was the one that wanted interactions between Jaylynn and Manny, so his role was bigger than usual in this episode. Plus, out of all the kids on the show, we both knew that he was the one most likely to spread rumors that he could only confirm through his own logic.

-RK references professional wrestler Jeff Hardy's recent legal troubles, including his arrest for driving while impaired (DWI) last month.

-Buster references the _SpongeBob SquarePants _episode "Don't Look Now," which served as an inspiration for the appearance of the Chainsaw Maniac. I just kept thinking "fisherman" in my head and remembered that episode.

-I was reading some comments on YouTube talking about how Nick Jonas used to be a bad singer when he was younger and how his brother Joe was always better than him, so I wanted to include that in this episode. Jaylynn also mentions RK being a fan of the Jonas Brothers' latest album _Happiness Begins _(2019), their first studio album in ten years.

-Buster references past Halloween episodes where he had negative experiences: "The Life and Times of Diana Katanova" and season five's sequel episode "Savi's Revenge." In the original episode, Buster is forced to kill his girlfriend Diana and his old pen pal Savanah after they kidnap and torture his friends. In "Savi's Revenge," the girls return as ghosts that haunt Buster and force him to beat them again with Sparky's help. He also gets closure with Diana in this episode for what happened previously.

-In "Stories Killed the Radio Stars," the Monster Mash included apple bobbing and a candy corn guessing contest, so I wanted those events to make a comeback as well.

-Manny's chainsaw sounds are a direct reference to the Eminem song "Kill You," from his 2000 album _The Marshall Mathers LP_.

-Manny references legendary Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash on December 31, 1972. Clemente is one of Manny's heroes.

-Sparky references the American-Australian Discovery Channel/Science Channel television series _MythBusters _(2003-).

-The basement in the school cafeteria was modeled after the basement of a food bank I worked for during the summer, which had inventory of things like coconut water, tomato sauce, fruit juice, and navy beans. Some of the food was expired, but definitely not to the extent of the navy beans that RK finds.

-RK references the fact that the navy beans expired three years after the New York Jets won their first and only Super Bowl: A 16-7 upset over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III on January 12, 1969. To date, this is the Jets' only Super Bowl appearance.

-The small-time boutique that Buster and RK find was also part of the food bank, and it was the place where I spent most of my time working.

-Because Jaylynn and Manny interacted more than usual, Sykadelix wanted to address Manny's racist attitude towards Dominicans that he had in the first season. This isn't the first time that Jaylynn has called him out for this, or her citing it as one of the reasons she hates him ("12 Angry Kids," "The Art of Yellow Journalism"), but it is the first time Manny has to explain himself. I didn't want to make the scene too serious because Manny's racism was just something I thought would be a funny gag back in 2012/2013, but it definitely hasn't aged well and it would always be a legitimate reason for Jaylynn hating him (due to her Dominican heritage).

-Manny references him getting his anti-Dominican attitude from his father, who was disgusted after the Dominican Republic won the 2013 World Baseball Classic and ended up not being able to see out of his right eye for two weeks because of his frustration.

-I had planned to use "Somebody's Gotta Die" and "Nighttime Vultures" for a long time before I started writing the episode. When I spoke to Sykadelix, I wrote out the entire "Somebody's Gotta Die" scene and it went exactly as I originally envisioned it.

-RK references the U.S. presidency of Richard Nixon, who was in office from 1969 until his resignation in 1974 in the wake of the Watergate scandal.

-I asked Sykadelix what songs she wanted to see used in this episode and she suggested "Thought Contagion" could be played during the Monster Mash. I didn't think the song fit in a party setting, but it worked perfectly as music that could be played at the end of the episode. That's when I decided to write a scene where the Chainsaw Maniac turns out to be real, but dies unceremoniously before he could harm anybody. I had it in my head that this scene takes place, then cut to black, end credits, and "Thought Contagion" just plays uninterrupted during the whole sequence.


End file.
